Critics not as sure as governor about State of the State

Update: 6:05 pmILLINOIS -- Governor Pat Quinn's critics are saying his camp is looking at Illinois with rose-colored glasses. Quinn claims the fiscal scene has changed for the better during his five years in office.

He says recovery began in January 2010, and since then, Illinois has added hundreds of thousands of jobs. Plus, he says the state's unemployment rate is at its lowest point in nearly five years.

Part of Quinn's speech focused on what the state can do to help working families with an earned income tax credit and how Illinois can move more people into the middle class. Overall, his speech was positive, saying Illinois is on an upswing.

Original: 3:43 pmSPRINGFIELD -- Critics to Governor Quinn's State of the State address say he's painting an "all-rosy" picture. They say he touted some pretty positive points about the state's unemployment rate and fiscal position. But, not all lawmakers agree Illinois is on an upward swing.

The governor claims the fiscal scene has changed for the better during his five years in office. He says recovery began in January 2010, and since then, the state has added 280,000 private-sector jobs and that Illinois' unemployment rate is at its lowest point in nearly five years.

But, critics say that's not the reality. The governor also claims Illinois is on a comeback and that he has led the way. He says there's still financial challenges ahead, but he did offer a few ideas on how to move the state forward. He says he wants to start a renewed focus on small businesses, build up the state's workforce and invest in 21st century industries.

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